January 27

Matthew iii. — 1. In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

2. And saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his paths straight. 4. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6. And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 7. But, when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers! who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

The "wilderness" in which John the Baptist began his preaching lay along the River Jordan upon either side, and probably in the neighborhood of Succoth, — the ford by which Jacob crossed when he returned from Padan-Araim. His dress was such as is worn to-day by Bedouins of that region, — "a cloak woven of camel's hair, thrown over the shoulders, and tied in front on the breast; round the waist is a girdle of skin; the hair is flowing loose about the head." The Arabian traveller Burkhardt says, "All the Bedouins of Arabia are accustomed to eat locusts. I have seen at Medina and Taya locust-shops where these animals are sold by measure. They are sometimes eaten boiled in butter; and they often contribute materials for a breakfast when spread over unleavened bread mixed with butter." Wild honey is found in trees in the wilderness, and in rocks in the wadies. John led an austere life, without luxuries

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Search us, O God! and know our hearts; try us, and know our thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in us; and lead us in the way everlasting. Have mercy upon us, O Lord! according to thy loving-kindness; according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out our transgressions. Wash us thoroughly from our iniquities, and cleanse us from our sin. For we acknowledge our transgressions, and our sin is ever before us.

We thank thee that thou hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; defend us in the same by thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight.

Fit us day by day for the duties that lie before us. We would put ourselves and all that concerns us into thy hands, and ask thee to be our Guide and Counsellor. In all our ways we desire to acknowledge thee; and do thou direct our path. Keep us, we beseech thee, from all evil, that we, being ready

8. Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance: 9. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: 12. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

or even comforts, as became his mission of repentance and reformation.

The threshing-floor was a raised bed of hardened earth, from fifty to a hundred feet in diameter, in the open air, upon which the grain was threshed out by the feet of oxen, or by rollers dragged over it by the cattle. The fan was a shovel, or sieve, by which the contents of the floor were stirred and tossed against the wind until all the chaff and dust were blown away. These strong figures indicated the work of purifying to be done in Israel itself before Christ's spiritual mission could be received. They were none too strong to express the need of purification in the Church at the period of the Reformation; and again in the times of the Puritans, of the Wesleys, and other spiritual reformers. They still teach us that our hearts must be purged of all sin, winnowed of self-ishness, to receive the grace of Christ

Prayer.

[Nos. 36, 67, 95.

both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things that thou wouldst have us to do.

Fit us, O Lord! for all the events of this short and uncertain life. If prosperity be our portion, keep us humble and watchful in the midst of it; or, if sorrows and trials come upon us, give us grace cheerfully to submit, saying, "Father, not my will, but thy will, be done."

[Give unto the children of this family grace to serve thee in the morning of life. Oh! keep them from temptation and evil, and from every false and hurtful way.] Be very gracious to our friends: grant to them health and prosperity in this life, and make them meet for the life everlasting. And, O Lord! bless and save the whole world.

Accept, we beseech thee, for Christ's sake, our poor imperfect services, and give us grace to serve thee better. May all we undertake be begun, continued, and ended in thee, that so we may glorify thy holy name, and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.